Running hot

[jers89]

I put a 302 in my 89 ranger a few years back and anytime i run it hard in the summer it gets hot have already put 2 electric fans in it also running a fan on waterpump and removed inner fenders have a small fan shroud anymore ideas or suggestions.

Can't play long in the sand before i have to let her cool down.

 

[okietheranger]

What rad are you using? What's ur timing at?

 

[baddad457]

Fans do nothing if the radiator isn't big enough. And there can be other reasons for the overheating, like backwards head gaskets

 

[jers89]

The radiator is a 4 core aluminum that was built to fit in the radiator support it is as big as i could make it to fit in their. I aslo have a C-6 tranny that contributes to the heat. The motor is a carbed 302 not EFI as far as the timing haven't found a timing backet that will bolt on without getting in the way of the harmonic balancer the belt system on the truck is of of a 90 mustang i do need to redo it. I time it by adusting the carb and timing and checking the vacum and repeated test drives until it runs perfect. The belt system is on the list of upgrades.

 

[IRKillroy]

yeah, um who built the engine?? however doubtful headgasket mixed up could cause a flow issue, but you'd have burnt out plugs all the time and probably would have warped heads to boot.

I'd say you need to think about your thermostat, and possibly the flow of your water pump... what kind do you have in there? HFLP or HPLF? I think thats both of them... then again I have been wrong before. so that was two questions, the direction your pump pushs the coolant, and the type of pump. also, are you running straight water or 50/50 mix coolant?

 

[jers89]

Thermostate is a 160 degree.The water pump is off of a 90 mustang and 50/50 coolant water mix. The motor well, was partly me and partly a guy i got the motor from. The guy who had the motor put things on it i don't know why or where the parts came from or what they were off of i have been trying to correct the mistakes. but the town around me dosen't have many ford guys and i just got internet a month ago. i put the truck together with my dad it would have been alot easier if i would have had this site. Did most of the swap right it just took longer trying to figure it out by ourself. But i have had the getting hot issue for awhile slowly getting better and better but running out of ideas. So thanks for any and all suggestions.

 

[baddad457]

Look at the front of the block where the lower corner of the head exposes the bottom corner of the block's deck surface. There you should see a corner of the head gasket covering that corner of the block's deck, if the head gasket(s) are on correctly. If you cannot see the gasket poking out, the gaskets are on backwards and the coolant is shortcutting back up to the intake and bypassing the rear of the block. Your timing pointer situation isn't hard to fix. The pointer bolts onto the lower passenger side corner of the timing cover, using the bottom two bolts of the cover. Any 302/5.0 from 1970-on will have one of these pointers you can use. And you say you're using a 90 Mustang waterpump, are you alos using the serpentine belt that wraps around the crank and waterpump pulleys in an "S" fashion ? Pics would also help. Even a 4 row core radiator that fits into the core support isn't optimal for cooling in warm weather. Mine isn't the best, all my motors (I've had 4 different builds in my 89) still ran warm (200-260) in summer.

 

[jers89]

Thanks for the info headgasket is on right i will be looking into getting the timing pointer soon. I will get pics of the truck up soon my beater car has been giving me some problems i am trying to get it fixed asap. Because i am getting the dana 35 tommro to start my axle swap and getting the transfer case rebuilt on the 89ranger i am always looking for ways to make the truck better the getting warm issue is always high on the list. The serpintine system is off of a 90 mustang that is turning the waterpump in the right direction but i am looking into a aftermarket belt system I am glad to know my truck is not the only one that runs warm in the summer. Thanks again

 

[okietheranger]

my truck would over heat only when i used that pos flx-40 electric fan i used a stock clutch fan never had a problem scince. also useing the 4.0 rad, i dont think ur rad is ur prob,, i could be wrong but possable timming maybe running it to rich? i was also useing the c-6 with the internal tranny cooler in the rad whats ur set up? external ? the c-6 is a three speed plus u said ur playinjg in the sand i would imagain ur running wot all the time?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

my truck would over heat only when i used that pos flx-40 electric fan i used a stock clutch fan never had a problem scince. also useing the 4.0 rad, i dont think ur rad is ur prob,, i could be wrong but possable timming maybe running it to rich? i was also useing the c-6 with the internal tranny cooler in the rad whats ur set up? external ? the c-6 is a three speed plus u said ur playinjg in the sand i would imagain ur running wot all the time?

What water pump, fan and clutch are you running?

 

[okietheranger]

all stock 89 5.0

 

[doorgunner]

I wasn't paying attention---but an A/C will make it run hot in the summer. I have a new radiator/160* thermostat/add-on transmission cooler/timing set correctly/new waterpump turning correctly/mechanical fan/50-50% coolant mixture/coolant overflow jug/etc......still overheated in traffic during 90* summer days.

I added a spare Ranger radiator with an electric fan under the bed above the spare tire(I lowered the tire rack enough so the tire would sit level). I ran 300*F____ 2" I.D.____ 90 p.s.i. hoses to the rear radiator for circulation.

NO MO overheating..................................yep, it's a lot of overkill....but I didn't want fight with overheating any more.........

 

[okietheranger]

I wasn't paying attention---but an A/C will make it run hot in the summer. I have a new radiator/160* thermostat/add-on transmission cooler/timing set correctly/new waterpump turning correctly/mechanical fan/50-50% coolant mixture/coolant overflow jug/etc......still overheated in traffic during 90* summer days.

I added a spare Ranger radiator with an electric fan under the bed above the spare tire(I lowered the tire rack enough so the tire would sit level). I ran 300*F____ 2" I.D.____ 90 p.s.i. hoses to the rear radiator for circulation.

NO MO overheating..................................yep, it's a lot of overkill....but I didn't want fight with overheating any more.........

do u ever pay attention with all the meds ur on? im just messen

 

[IRKillroy]

you might want to open the hood up, when you get the truck over heating, pop the hood to the safety latch, if you see the temp drop while you're driving it's because of one thing.

a big engine in a small engine compartment. Opening up the hood allows that trapped heat to escape and the fan will work better. To make it a permanent fix you can remove the weather stripping between the cab and the hood... or get a new hood.

it's a thought, by no means do I feel like getting into an argument with guys who think that there is no way heat would stay in the engine compartment if it could get pushed under the truck... those guys are stupid and don't listen anyways.

so in a few months check that out... or I could be totally wrong and it overheats in the winter also.

 

[jers89]

The tranny fuild runs though radiator no external cooler no cluch on the fan flex fan which i'm getting should be replaced with a normal fan that would be simple to change good suggestion and in the sand yeah i am running it pretty hard wot alot. I have started it and moved it outside in the winter last 2 days actually and dosen't heat up unless i idle the truck at 1500 rpm for 5 minutes then temp is just over 100 degrees had to move it to work on beater car. I will try almost any suggestion to see if it helps thanks everone for all suggestions their is always a chance i overlooked something. I don't claim to know all the tricks so thanks again. The truck is running a little rich right now but it is winter i will retune it this spring when i will drive it on the road again. Oh and no ac truck didn't come with it when it was stock. The 5.0 is kinda stock aftermarket intake holly carb headers msd ignition the motor originally was out of a 99 explorer